Bat's Castle and Gallox Hill from Dunster Castle

From the National Trust car park at Dunster Castle the walk goes down towards Dunster Watermill and on to Gallox Bridge, a medieval packhorse bridge, then climbs through woods on the Bonniton New Road track to the Iron Age settlement on Gallox Hill. It goes on to Bat's Castle, an Iron Age hillfort with earthworks, and views over Exmoor and the Bristol Channel. The way back runs east along the hill on Park Lane, drops towards Carhampton and returns by field paths to Gallox Bridge and the castle.

It is 6.3 km round with 214 m of ascent; allow about 2¼ hours. The grade is Moderate: the National Trust calls its own walk to Bat's Castle challenging, with steep climbs and numerous steps, slopes and uneven surfaces. About half is on tracks.

The paths are steep in places and slippery after rain; the National Trust asks for sturdy footwear and dogs on short leads, and Exmoor ponies may graze the hill. The castle's car park gates are locked at 6pm.

The Dunster Castle car park is a National Trust pay car park, free to members; it is small and its parking spaces are limited, and the National Trust suggests the village car park on Dunster Steep in poor weather. Dunster station on the West Somerset Railway is about a mile away.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.